Searching for a job while you still have one is the strongest negotiating position there is: you're not desperate, you can be selective, and you can walk away. It's also the easiest situation to mishandle — a careless setting or a poorly timed interview can create problems before you've secured anything. Done with discipline, a discreet search protects you on both ends.
Protect your discretion
LinkedIn settings
If you update your profile, turn off activity broadcasts first — a flurry of edits is a classic tell. Use the "open to work" recruiter-only visibility option rather than the public green banner, which is visible to your current employer and colleagues.
Devices and accounts
Never job search on work devices, work accounts, or work networks. Assume anything on company infrastructure is visible. Use personal email and a personal device exclusively. Don't store search materials in employer-controlled cloud storage.
References
Do not use your current manager or colleagues as references until an offer is essentially certain and you've decided to move. Until then, lean on prior-employer references.
Manage logistics without lying badly
Schedule interviews early morning, late afternoon, lunch, or on personal time off where possible. Take leave in normal-looking increments rather than a suspicious pattern of half-days. You don't owe your employer the reason for personal time, and over-explaining is itself a tell — a simple "I have a personal appointment" is sufficient and unremarkable.
Keep performing
The instinct to coast once you've mentally checked out is understandable and a mistake. Your current performance protects your references, your reputation, and your fallback if the search takes longer than expected. Treat your present job as your strongest asset until the day you decide to leave.
Move deliberately, not desperately
The advantage of searching while employed is that you can afford to be selective — so be selective. Apply to fewer, well-matched, verified roles rather than spraying applications and risking exposure for opportunities you don't actually want. Filtering listings for legitimacy and fit before you engage is doubly valuable here: every application you don't need to make is one less chance of exposure for no upside.
The exit
When you do land an offer, resign professionally: give standard notice, keep it gracious regardless of how you feel, and don't disparage anyone. The discretion you maintained throughout the search is worth preserving right through the last day — the market is smaller than it looks.